1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of food products, and more particularly relates to a food product that can be used as a substitute for the bread dough base in a common pizza.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pizza has been enjoyed for many years both in the United States and abroad. Traditional pizza comprizes a commonly known bread dough base, and typically it has a cheese and a tomato sauce topping. Other ingredients as well, such as mushrooms, sausage, pepporoni, onions, etc., are also typically added as toppings, by and large according to the preference of particular individuals.
The typical bread dough pizza base is commonly made from flour, yeast, salt and oil, and once prepared it can be used either immediately, or it can be frozen, with or without toppings, for later use in making pizza.
Although pizza has been considered a generally nutritious food, there are many individuals that, for health, dietary, or other reasons, should not consume bread products and/or the ingredients that go into them, and therefore many people could not eat traditional pizza made with a bread dough base.
Also, children have typically enjoyed pizza, but for similar reasons as stated above, some parents would prefer that their children not consume an excess of bread, and at the same time prefer that they consume more vegetable products in their diet.
Until the present invention, there has been no real convenient, nutritious, and tasty substitute for the bread dough base used in pizza. It is not known just how many attempts might have been made to develop a substitute, but none have become successful or generally known.
Any product which might be substituted for the bread dough base in pizza must meet certain criteria. It must be agreeable in taste and appearance. For convenience it should be capable of use either immediately or at a later time after freezing and generally it should not require more preparation or cooking time as compared to a bread dough base. When finally cooked, it must have enough "body" and/or stiffness so that the pizza will hold together when handled during preparation, during cooking, and during eating. Further, it is desirable that such a substitute would eliminate at least some of the dietary shortcomings of a bread dough base and the ingredients that traditionally have gone into it.